[skywalqer]

However, ads are also the reason why many services on the Internet are free. So maybe they are not completely bad.

[YetAnotherNick]

HN complains about any monetization strategy including recurring payments, yet complains if the company revenue is low. Almost all of the internet is paid by ads, users almost never pays. Company pays, but then the company is paying the money that they directly or indirectly earned through ads.

[xigoi]

Recurring payments are fine for services that have a recurring cost, which is often not the case.

[immibis]

Most ad-supported things also should not exist.

Although Stack Overflow, terrible as it is, is not one of those.

[ThrowawayTestr]

HN is ad supported (in that it's marketing for ycombinator) should it not exist?

[user3939382]

It’s not free you’re just paying with your attention which is the most valuable and scarce resource you have. Its value is convertible into money, it’s just not obvious from the user’s perspective how. From SV’s perspective is crystal clear. Every moment your mind is focused on an ad is a moment it’s not focused on something more important to your life. Some people don’t value their time or attention and Silicon Valley is happy to agree.

[immibis]

Your attention is convertible into money through showing you which things you should spend money on. You can also convert your own attention into your own money by not spending money on those things.

At least it was originally like that. Nowadays political propaganda is also massive. The monetary value to Russia or Israel, of the majority of the USA supporting their side of their war, is immense.